Welcome to my blog created on Mother's Day 2010, after receiving a Stage3 BC diagnosis. If you are a new member of the Sisterhood of Cancerous Breasts, I bow to you Sister, you may want to read from the beginning. If you are already a Follower, thank you Dear Reader, for your sweet company. Come in, make yourself comfy, and I will tell you a story.
Update Nov 2018: I’m part of a new sorority now. Always wanted to go to Club Med, not Club Met! It’s back and so I’m back! Stay tuned!

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Haven't We Met?

You ever have that happen? You meet someone who is a stranger, you talk, and before you know it you are laughing and crying and you can't help but think "Haven't we met?"

I know you. I know you.

That's how I felt today, after radiation and meeting with Dr. Lotus. I was headed back to the patient waiting room to change and go home when I noticed she was there. I didn't realize, she was waiting for me.

The "she" is someone I've mentioned here on the blog once before. She has a new job at the Cancer Center, and officially gave me her card today.

Oncology Nurse Navigator, and she reports to the Director of the Cancer Center.

She invited me into her new office, tucked down a hallway just past the fireplace in the lobby of my second home these last nine months.

She's begun to read my blog, and was excited to show me something she has started to work on. It was a hand sketched flow chart on a large piece of paper, diagramming what happens after an abnormal mammogram. She is interviewing everybody who has a part in that process in order to flush out delays, expedite and provide better service to patients.

We talked about all kinds of things; I told her some of my stories, the ones you already know. The ones she will read about.

Before you knew it we were talking and laughing and initiating the new box of tissues in her new office.

We even discovered we have a mutual acquaintance we both think the world of, the Monsignor.

I showed her my recent post about "Where's my Badge of Courage, Where's my Gold Star" and I was talking about being a Girl Scout, and how it felt like I should be getting some kind of badge, even though I'm fifty two and don't have my green sash anymore.

She really understood what I was trying to say, and how what I learned as a Brownie and a Girl Scout still influences me today. She is still very active in Girl Scouts, with her own girls. She suggested I come up with my own badge, and said she'd help.

I was happy when she said she considered me a great resource, and showed such interest in my experiences and suggestions of how things could be done better.

I'm looking forward to developing our relationship and doing my part to help others who will follow me in diagnosis and treatment.

It was a good feeling.

Somebody's listening.

Somebody wants to do it better.

I matter.

It was one of those "full circle Oprah moments" for me today, thinking about when I first received my diagnosis and then decided to chronicle everything in this blog.

When problems are seen as opportunities, adversity seen as a good education, and the belief that every single thing that happens in your life is connected to a larger unfolding good, no more problems, just transformation, embracing this fragile glorious imperfect life where every step, even the wrong step, is on the path and leads to growth and grace. So chill baby. You got this. writergirldreams